May 18 Roast Miso Aubergines with Oodles of Noodles

I was spoilt for choice with the contents of this weeks crop drop bag, so I used all of it (well almost!). The oriental flavours of this marinade work beautifully with the aubergine. A great stress free, mid week meal full of essential vitamins and minerals that provide phytonutrients which decrease the presence of free radicals in your body - Plant power!!

Serves 2

Method

1 aubergine

2 tbsp miso paste

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

250g fine egg noodles

300g Broad beans

2 thinly sliced radishes

2 spring onions

1 tbsp grated ginger

20g wild garlic

1. Pre-heat the oven at 180°C and combine the miso, honey, oil, soy and vinegar to make a marinade. Slice the aubergine into discs 1 cm thick and lay some foil on a flat baking tray. Dip the slices of aubergine into the well mixed marinade, lay on the tray and pop in the oven for around 30-35 minutes turning half way. You should have some marinade left, you'll need it for the noodles!

2. Pod your beans and boil for a few minutes, drain and rinse with cold water. I sometimes find that the skin of the bean is a bit tough, so I peel this back to release a bright tender green bean inside. Set the beans to one side.

3. Heat up a frying pan then top and tail the spring onions. Drizzle some olive oil over the onions to lightly coat and fry them until they just start to go brown, making them all the more sweeter. Set to one side.

4. Pop the egg noodles into a pan of boiling water and cook to packets instructions. In the frying pan you cooked the spring onions, add a little more oil and heat the ginger through. When the noodles are cooked and drained, add them to the frying pan along with the wild garlic and the extra marinade, keep on a low heat and mix until the garlic leaves have just wilted.

5. Assemble and enjoy! I added radish to contrast to the texture ofthe soft aubergine. The garlic flowers are not only a pretty garnish, they also pack a punch with flavour.